Based on the significance of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities, respectively, the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) measures, for companies’ advancement in the fields of agriculture, the purpose of our study is to appraise how the ESG measures influence the size of public companies from the agricultural sectors, with particular attention on the environmental pillar. The research methodology consists in applying two econometric procedures to assess the direct effects of the ESG activities on the size of public agricultural firms by models of robust regression (RREG) and to appraise global implications of ESG measures on companies’ dimension by models of structural equations (SEM). Data encloses the ESG indicators, focusing on environmental indicators and agricultural companies’ size (proxied by total assets), extracted from the Thomson Reuters Refinitiv Eikon database for the fiscal year 2020. Main results reveal that several components of the ESG measures, especially the environmental ones, may influence the size of the agricultural companies, given the significant companies’ strengths in implementing CSR actions to ensure sustainable resource management. We propose adequate strategies for companies to provide robust resource management and proper integration of the environmental credentials.

The wheat grains can be infected in the favourable years by fungi that are producing the disease named black point. The conditions from the climatic year 2019 in western Romania have favoured this disease, a great rateof the grains being infected. Thus, the quality of the cereals in the year 2019 was highly decreased due to the fungal infections from the genus Fusariumconnected with Alternaria. The mentioned fungi are very dangerous for the health because they are producing mycotoxins. The purpose of this research was to identify the fungi associated with black pointin four wheat varieties cultivated in near Timișoara and the setting of the frequency of the diseased grains. The analysed varieties were Exotic, Rubisco,Glosa și Lovrin 6x. The identification of the fungi implied in the black point disease was realised by laboratory analyses that were consisted in the placing of the previously sterilised wheat grains on the culture medium of agar. The samples prepared in this way were incubated at a temperature of 24 oC for 18 days. There were collected data by visual and microscopy observations at two intervals of time. Identification of the fungal growth on the grains affected by black point was done at the microscope. There were evidenced fungi from the genera Alternaria and Fusarium.The higher black point frequencies were registered in the varieties Glosa (13.51%) and Exotic (10%). In the variety Lovrin 6x, the frequency of the black point diseased grains was 9.03%. The lowest black point frequency was registered in the variety Rubisco (6.10%). The great fungal contamination rate was comprised between 88.23% inthe variety Rubisco and 100% in the variety Lovrin 6x. The wheat grains were contaminated in a high rate with the fungus Fusarium graminearumin the climatic conditions of the year 2019 that was favourable for the infection.

Eurasian hemp moth (Grapholita delineana Walker) is a very dangerous pest for hemp that appears every year in the hemp crops from the territory of Station of Agricultural Research and Development Lovrin (SCDA Lovrin). The revival of the hemp cultivation in Romania is desired nowadays mainly for seed production for the oil extraction, for protein powders, cosmetic products, cannabidiol etc. Unfortunately, the textile industry isn’t interested in the processing of the hemp for fibre. Nowadays in Romania are cultivated some over 2000 hectares of hemp in some areas from the counties Timiș, Bihor, Suceava and Botoșani, there being an economic interest for this crop. In this context are coming in attention the pests of this plant species, mainly the Eurasian hemp moth. In this research were monitored four hemp varieties created at SCDA Lovrin regarding the response to the Eurasian hemp moth attack. The monitored varieties were Teodora, Silvana, Armanca and Lovrin 110. These varieties were reacted different to the attack of the moth Grapholita delineana. The average density of the larvae per plant was comprised in the interval 36.83 – 61.16. the most attacked was the variety Teodora followed by Silvana and Armanca. The variety Lovrin 110 had the best reaction to the pest attack, the registered density of larvae per plant being 26.83. The statistical analysis showed that the most significant differences were between the genders, there being visible the preference of the larvae for the female plants (p < 0.001). Thus, analysing the differences between varieties and genera these were significant only between Teodora female plants and Lovrin 110 male plants and Silvana male plants.

The paper was conceived out of the desire to provide an analysis that would explain how climate changes in the western part of Romania, in the Banat area, influenced the production of maize and soybeans, for a period of five years, between 2020-2024, in the town of Buziaș, located near the city of Timișoara. This area offers an interesting setting for this study not only through its geographical positioning, but also through its climatic specificity. The analyzed region benefits from fertile soils and favorable conditions for agriculture, but at the same time, it faces risky climatic phenomena, which can put producers in difficulty. The general conclusion of the present sufy highlights the fact that, during the years 2020-2024, aside the climate factors considered (rainfall amount and temperature) some other aspects have impacted the yield too, as: the exact moment in which these conditions manifest themselves, the type of soil in each plot, but also the adaptive capacity of each hybrid or variety.

The present study analysed interactions between nitrate and nitrite at different soil depths and their effects on pasture vegetation in steppe grasslands. In this case study, four grasslands from western Romania (Voiteg, Gătaia, Partoș, and Rovinița Mică) were analysed. Their nitrate and nitrite content in soil at three depths, the production of fresh forage and the animal load were characterised. At the level of the vegetation sward, the specific contribution of two grasses, two legumes and the noxious weed Ambrosia artemisiifolia was characterised in all the analysed pastures. The nitrate and nitrite data were correlated with the vegetation features mentioned before. The results obtained proved the significant influence of nitrites on the decrease in the rate of Festuca valesiaca L. and the increase in the rate of Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.

Forest-steppe grasslands are highly important ecosystems because they provide the transition from temperate forests to open steppes. This makes them exceptional from many important perspectives, such as biological diversity, ecological services, gene pools, agroecosystem resources, etc. These are some of the main reasons for the demand for long-term studies on topics such as vegetation succession or climate resilience records, because they can be useful for authorities and entities involved in the restoration of these agroecosystems. The aim of the research is to analyse the sward of a successional ex-arable grassland in the Western Romanian forest-steppe area, managed under an extensive system, using Ecological Indicator Values (EIVs) and their interaction with biodiversity, floristic composition (functional groups) and pastoral value. Data collection began in the ninth year after land abandonment, specifically in 2003. The results of the present research are extended to 21 years, covering the period from 2003 to 2023. The Landolt EIVs considered were the preferences for plant species in soil reaction (R), nutrients (N), soil moisture (F), temperature (T), light (L), and climatic continentality (K). The successional evolution of vegetation was highly complex during the study, highlighting changes in species composition, influenced along the time gradient by changes in biotope conditions. These changes were expressed by the trend of most of the analysed EIVs, respectively, temperature (T), soil moisture (F), soil reaction (R), and nutrients (N). EIVs are a useful tool that offers a more detailed description of a permanent grassland, expressing the evolution of the biotope conditions. Biodiversity was influenced by N and K, and floristic composition mostly by K.